Staff proposes 5% local construction-hours requirement and 10% post-completion hire in UTEP pilot

Consultants presented concrete targets and enforcement steps for a UTEP pilot aimed at increasing direct local employment on IDA-assisted projects.

Rosheen Pangshay of RGP Consulting proposed that, of the social equity participation requirement, 5% of total construction work hours be performed by New Rochelle residents and that projects sustain 10% of ongoing work hours by residents after construction completion (during the pilot phase). She said the proposal would be verified with certified payrolls, quarterly reporting and third-party compliance monitors, and that a waiver process would allow the board to approve exceptions where the developer documents good-faith recruitment and lack of available local workers.

Board members asked for the firm’s methodology; staff said they used American Community Survey data and estimated an available construction-skilled pool of roughly 350–600 residents depending on trade and timing. Members raised access-to-work concerns for union-represented trades and asked staff to engage trade halls and developers before adopting mandatory quotas.

No binding decision was made; staff will produce a redline and supporting evidence for the Oct. 28 meeting, and the IDA will route the draft through the financial subcommittee and circulate it to taxing jurisdictions.